


Restitution, Retribution

by artifactstorageroom3_archivist



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Drama, Episode Related, Ficlet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-13
Updated: 2010-05-13
Packaged: 2019-06-13 04:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15356223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artifactstorageroom3_archivist/pseuds/artifactstorageroom3_archivist
Summary: After Sentoo Part 2, before Blair wakes in his hospital bed, Jim seeks peace--and something more.





	Restitution, Retribution

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Elaine, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Artifact Storage Room 3](https://fanlore.org/wiki/Artifact_Storage_Room_3) and was moved to the AO3 as part of the Open Doors project in 2018. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are the creator and would like to claim this work, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Artifact Storage Room 3’s collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/artifactstorageroom3/profile).
> 
> **Author's notes:**
> 
> Thanks go to Elizabeth for the wonderful beta! Any mistakes are my own.
> 
>  

Restitution, Retribution  
  
Peace. There was sometimes peace to be found in a zone, if Jim managed to focus on the right thing. If the input wasn’t too flashy or too loud--or just downright unpleasant--once in a while Jim could just tune out reality and forget the things that hurt him, inside and out.  
  
After today, peace was something Jim desperately needed. He tried once again to sink into the eerily tranquil void that he usually avoided at all costs, but as had happened every other time he’d tried, he got distracted. This time it was by Simon’s entrance into the hospital room.  
  
The room was decorated in a way that was plainly meant to be soothing, but to Jim it just seemed bleak. Calm colors and pretty pictures couldn’t make him forget his reason for being here.  
  
“Jim.” Simon held a cup of coffee in front of Jim’s nose, and after a moment Jim took it, though he really didn’t have the stomach for hospital coffee right now.  
  
“Thanks, Simon.”  
  
Simon nodded, and after taking a swig of his own drink, asked, “So, how is he?”  
  
Jim looked down at Blair, who was lying in the bed next to him. How was he? Pale. Weak. Fragile. Blessedly alive. “He’s stable.” Jim licked his lips, and forced words through a throat that seemed determined to be mute. “I really screwed up this time, Simon.”  
  
“Jim, you got to him as soon as you could. You can hardly--”  
  
“I kicked him out. I didn’t trust him. I betrayed him.” Jim wished his voice hadn’t cracked on that last sentence.  
  
Simon scoffed, and Jim looked up from the Styrofoam cup in his hand. “Jim, you hardly *betrayed* him. Yeah, you were a certified asshole, but you would never purposely hurt Blair.”  
  
Jim looked away once more, ignoring Simon’s protest; he knew what he’d done. “I’m going after her.”  
  
A heartbeat later, Simon burst out, “*What*? You can’t seriously think for a *minute* that I’d let you do something as monumentally stupid as that! And besides, it’s not even in our jurisdiction anymore.”  
  
Silence descended between them for a moment, the reverberations from Simon’s shout lasting longer than they had a right to in this austere room. Jim sighed wearily, then spoke. “I need this, Simon. I need to get her for what she did. I have to make it up to him.”  
  
Simon started up again on why he shouldn’t, couldn’t, *wouldn’t* do anything of the sort, and Jim blocked him out, trying to slip into the void once again. The white walls and soft blue curtains began to fade away, and Jim finally welcomed the peace that surrounded him.  
  
As Simon’s voice faded to a buzz and Jim’s mind left the hospital room, left behind reality for a little while, he knew he’d do whatever it took to make this right. No matter what, he would make it up to Blair. He would pay for his mistakes by making Alex pay for hers. He would get his retribution.  
  
That was all that mattered now.  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
